Campbell McKean is a two-time U.S. National champion and National Age Group Record holder who is committed to the University of Texas beginning in the fall of 2025.
McKean was ranked 3rd in SwimSwam’s re-rank of the boys’ high school class of 2025 in June 2025 after he was previously ranked 14th as both a sophomore and junior.
The Bend, Oregon, native announced his commitment to Texas in October 2024.
EARLY YEARS
McKean grew up training and racing for the Bend Swim Club in Oregon while also representing Caldera High School in OSAA competition.
He first began coming onto the scene at the 2023 U.S. Junior National Championships (LCM), placing 7th in the men’s 100 fly (54.33) and 14th in the 200 IM (2:04.44). That performance came after he swept the OSAA 5A state titles in the 100 back and 200 IM as a sophomore.
2023-24 Season
His rapid ascent into being an elite breaststroker began during the 2023-24 season, placing 5th in the 100 breast at Winter Juniors – West (SCY) in December 2023 in a time of 53.87, while also finishing 2nd in the 400 IM (3:46.55), 3rd in the 200 IM (1:44.23) and 5th in the 200 fly (1:46.75).
After winning the 100 breast and 200 IM Oregon 5A high school state titles in February 2024, McKean competed at his first U.S. Olympic Trials four months later in Indianapolis, finishing 21st in the men’s 100 breast (1:01.00) and 26th in the 200 IM (2:01.30).
He was then named to the U.S. roster for the 2024 Junior Pan Pacific Championships, winning a gold medal as a member of the Americans’ mixed 4×100 medley relay while adding two silvers in the boys’ 100 breast and 4×100 free relay.
2024-25 Season
McKean had a dominant performance at the 2024 Winter Junior Championships – West, sweeping the boys’ 100 breast (51.72), 200 breast (1:53.54) and 200 IM (1:41.19) while also posting the top time in the 400 IM prelims (3:42.54) before scratching the final. All four of those swims marked new lifetime bests at the time, and he went on to lower his 100 breast PB down to 51.28 at the 2025 Speedo Sectionals in Boise in March.
That swim in the 100 breast ranks him 3rd all-time in the boys’ 17-18 age group, while he ranks 2nd in the 200 IM, 15th in the 200 breast and 21st in the 400 IM.
In February 2025, McKean swept his two individual events at the OSAA 5A State Championships for the third straight season, topping the 100 back (47.58) and 100 fly (46.52) with new lifetime bests (going on to improve his 100 fly PB one month later in 46.46).
At the 2025 Fort Lauderdale Pro Swim, McKean raised eyebrows by setting new long course best times of 27.40 in the 50 breast and 1:00.40 in the 100 breast, putting him in the conversation for a spot on the U.S. World Championship team.
At the 2025 U.S. Nationals, McKean had a breakthrough performance, winning the men’s 100 breast in a time of 58.96 to shatter Michael Andrew‘s National Age Group Record for 17-18 boys (59.82) while becoming the first 18 & under swimmer ever under the 59-second barrier in the event.
McKean also won the 50 breast in a time of 26.90, qualifying him for the 2025 World Championships in two events, and he added a best time of 2:11.13 in the 200 breast to place 6th and move into 10th all-time in the boys’ 17-18 age group.
